NASSAU, The Bahamas – Minister of Financial Services, the Hon. Hope Strachan has declared three National Standards to regulate packaged water and food hygiene. The Minister made the announcement on Thursday, March 3rd, 2016.  Calling the occasion a ‘momentous’ one in the life of the country, Minister Strachan that these voluntary regional and international standards will assist our country in the facilitating the trade of locally-made and/or used goods, boost the country’s economy, promote quality production of goods and spread knowledge and disseminate technological advances.

“So with this in mind, it is indeed an honor today, in exercise of my powers under Section 8 (2) of the Standards Act of 2006, Chapter 338 to declare the following three as National Standards for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” she said.

 Minister Strachan listed the three standards as:

 

  • (1) Specification for Packaged Water, 
  • (2) Code of Hygiene Practice for Packaged Water, and
  •  (3) Code of Practice for General Principals of Food Hygiene.

 

The Bureau of Standards was established in 2006 by virtue of the Standards Act and the Weights and Measures Act of 2006 with a mandate to promote, coordinate, develop and declare nationally-recognized standards in an effort to guarantee quality, safety, environmental and industrial protection. We therefore believe that quality should be a priority and a way of life for all Bahamians.

The Minister emphasized that the country is currently advancing towards accession to the World Trade Organization, the adoption of World Trade Organization (WTO’s) Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement, and its obligations, and also being aligned with international codes of good practice in relation to the development of the standards and metrology regime.

The three national standards were adopted or adapted from CARICOM Regional Standards following the International Code of Practices for standards development.  The standards will be available for sale at the Bureau of Standards with effect from 1st July 2016. Until that time, standards may be viewed online at the Bureau’s website at: www.bbsq.bs; the Bahamas Government’s website and in addition, you can view these standards at the Bureau’s office located at The Source River Centre, 1000 Bacardi Road.

 

By Betty Vedrine
Bahamas Information Services 

 

 

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